


I know your face, it's annoyed me once before

by pragmatic



Category: The 100
Genre: F/M, Lexamy, alternate universe - best friends au, bellamy is a puppy as always, less stoic!lexa more feelings!lexa, very little clarke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 22:58:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7660294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pragmatic/pseuds/pragmatic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bellamy and Lexa have a habit of running into each other while doing their walk of shame.<br/>Somehow they become friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I know your face, it's annoyed me once before

**Author's Note:**

> *ignores the fact that Lexa is dead harder*

Bellamy hadn't planned on going home with her, or to her hotel really, he didn't even want to go to the bar that night.  
But when Octavia says jump, he really has no choice but to say how high. And he knows its good to get out of the house at least once a month, and even better if it was for alcohol.  
So that's how he ends up running into hangover girl, in is his crumpled clothes from the night before, doing his walk of shame.  
She frightens him, if he's honest. Her face doesn't show any shame, even though she's also in wrinkled clothes and her make up is smeared enough to make it look like war paint. Instead she shows no emotion at all, face blank and bored. He tries to morph his own into something similar, because if he's scared its only fair that she is too, but he doesn't realize she's already walked off.  
He hurries after her to catch the elevator, and he sees her look of subtle disgust when he slides through the crack in the door.  
He only smirks.  
She rolls her eyes.  
Then says, "I'm not into men, don't try and hit on me. And you smell like death, just so you know."  
He snorts. "Not every guy that looks at you is going to hit on you, just so you know. And you don't exactly smell like a field of daisies either."  
She sniffs, clearly annoyed that she hasn't caused him any damage with her taunting. They ride down the next few floors in silence, irritated air flowing between them.  
They get off the elevator and he gives her a mock salute as they head their different directions. She glares. 

 

The second time has to be a coincidence, he thinks. This hotel has a cafe downstairs, and even though he feels like a truck ran over him, he really wants a muffin. So he buys a cranberry one and sits down, it's surprisingly crowded for a sunday morning. That's when he sees her, looking no better than last time, ordering a gluten free bran muffin.  
He shudders at the thought of it even near his mouth.  
He watches with amusement as she scans the seating, finally her eyes landing on his. She scowls.  
He waves her over anyway, because he can be a dick and a nice person all at the same time, which someone has got to appreciate eventually.  
She sits down, almost begrudgingly, and picks at her muffin.  
He waits for her to say thank you, or even a hello really, but she never speaks. She keeps her eyes trained on her muffin and doesn't make eye contact.  
Surprisingly, it doesn't bother him. He eats his muffin and reads some e-mails. The pregnant silence doesn't nag him, or make him feel as if he should break it. He figures it's because she's a lesbian, she doesn't want anything but his table. And he's totally ok with it.  
When she leaves, she gives him a salute, clearly mocking his own.  
He laughs and waves goodbye. 

 

The third time Bellamy isn't doing his walk of shame, he's headed to Clarke's house and he runs into hangover girl on the way. He really hopes he can finally learn her name, the nickname just doesn't fit somehow.  
"Hey, what are you doing here?" He asks. She gives him a surprised glance, then sets her features back to their stoic gaze. He almost laughs at how much effort she puts into making it look effortless.  
"Clarke and I are partners in history, we have a project due in a few weeks." She checks her watch and taking a breath, she marches up the driveway as if it's a battle field.  
Seriously, this girl goes at everything as if it's the last thing she'll do, which he respects.  
"No wonder Clarke asked me to come over," at her confused look, he hurries on to explain. "I'm a history professor, she's not very good at history." He shrugs.  
"I'm so glad I'm her partner then." She mutters. Bellamy bites her lip to keep from laughing, since he's pretty sure it wasn't a joke.  
"I'm Bellamy, by the way. And don't worry, Clarke works hard." He assures her before ringing the doorbell at least ten times. She looks at him as if there's another head growing out of his neck.  
"I'm Lexa. You realize one press of the button will suffice?" She asks, voice slightly pitchy.  
"I realize it, I don't accept it."  
She nods as if she understands.  
There's a shout from inside, then Niylah opens the door. She looks like she's been stuck under the wheel of a semi all night.  
She grunts in greeting.  
"Someone have a rough date with Roan?" Bellamy teases, stepping through the door. Niylah flips him off over her shoulder.  
"Who's that?" Lexa says, shifting her weight from foot to foot, nervous.  
"Clarke's roommate, Niylah. She's like a mad genius." He does a gesture similar to jazz hands for effect.  
Lexa furrows her brow. "Wouldn't a mad genius know to answer the door with pants on?"  
He cocks his head, thinking. "I guess she's only a mad genius between the hours of ten and ten."  
Lexa hums.  
Bellamy looks around the house, seeing no sign of Clarke. "Princess! Your favourite person is here!" He shouts before flopping on to the couch. Lexa sits a little more gracefully as Clarke bounds down the hallway.  
"Wells is here?" She says breathless and jokingly. Bellamy makes a face.  
"I'm kidding, you know you're tied for favourite person. Lexa! Hey." Clarke usually talks about a mile a minute, which Bellamy has gotten used to, but it seems to have put Lexa in a daze. Clarke doesn't notice and worms her way in between them.  
"So since Bell is a mythology nerd, I was thinking we could do our project on that? It also seems the easiest." Clarke glances between both of them.  
"You know I prefer the term fanatic, and it doesn't really matter, I rock at everything."  
Clarke shoves him. "Modest, too."

They all surprisingly work well together, the project was really open ended, so they decide to make a power point about why Zeus was actually gay. All of them being part queer, they all find arguments quickly.  
When Clarke leaves to get some food, Lexa gives him a minuscule smile.  
"How long have you and Clarke been together?" She leans back into the couch, waiting.  
He chokes on nothing of course.  
"I—I, um, what?" He sputters intelligently. Lexa cocks her head.  
"Is it supposed to be a secret?"  
The confused expression he wears grows more defined.  
"Um? No? We're not together. At all, we're just friends." He grabs a book and begins to read, trying to distract himself.  
"But you'd like to be. Together, I mean." She pushes.  
"You've known me for like five seconds, how could you possibly gather this ... information, so quickly."  
He puts down his book and tries to glare at her, to show he is equal parts collected and annoyed.  
"I used to have a girlfriend back home, I know love when I see it."  
She shrugs, as if she hasn't just punched him in the gut.  
His jaw drops, and through gritted teeth he says, "I don't love Clarke."  
Lexa sips at her tea. "I know. You're in love with Clarke."  
He swears his jaw actually hits the floor, who was this girl? How dare she think that after spending five minutes together she already knew him? It was bullshit, that's what it was.  
But before he can say anything out loud, Clarke crashes through the door, carrying food. He immediately stands and helps her with her coat.  
Lexa smirks behind her mug, he glares.  
"I think I'm gonna head home." He says, actively avoiding Lexas eyes.  
Clarke pouts. "Aw, why?"  
He hadn't really thought that far ahead yet himself. "The dog. It gets lonely."  
Clarke gives him a look. "You don't have a dog."  
His eyes widen and he trips over himself getting to the door.  
"Octavias dog, Spike, he gets lonely." He says over his shoulder, fumbling with his shoes.  
"If it's Octavias dog, why do you have to leave?" Clarke questions.  
"I just—um, I like him. And I don't want him chewing up any furniture."  
He stalks out the door before any more questions arise. 

 

He spends the next few days in denial, and maybe he doesn't answer a few of Clarkes calls. He doesn't think Lexa was right, Clarke is his closest friend, he loves her, always, but never romantically. They're strictly platonic, nothing more. 

He's eating cereal in his boxers when there's a knock at his door.  
"You're a dick." Lexa says, pushing past him to sit cross legged on his counter. He frowns and closes the door.  
"I'm sure you're right, but why exactly am I a dick?" He sits back down and begins to eat again. Lexa glares.  
"When I told you that you were in love with Clarke, I hoped you would do something about it."  
"I did do something." He points out.  
"Something other than be an ass and ignore her." She growls.  
He suddenly feels slightly unsafe sitting so close to her.  
"Why do you care so much?" He rises to rinse his bowl and then faces her.  
"Because I like Clarke."  
He gives her a look that says he doesn't buy it. She groans.  
"And she's moping! We can't get any work done! And it's your fault!" She jabs him in the chest with her very boney finger. He's surprised she doesn't fall off the counter.  
"Ow! It is not my fault!" He rubs his chest and glowers. She hops off and heads to the door, she opens it and turns back to him.  
"Call her. You don't have to tell her why you've been avoiding her, but I will not fail this class because of some teenager love story gone wrong." Then she's gone.  
He still feels the need to shout that they're actually in college, like she'll hear him. 

He doesn't call Clarke until the next day, just because spite Lexa at least a little. She's not the boss of him. 

"Bellamy! I thought you died!" Clarke basically screeches into the phone.  
"Yeah, I had a shit ton of grading to do, sorry." He winces, he's always been an awful liar.  
"It's cool, do you wanna come over and talk about how gay Zeus is? I have some new—"  
"Actually, Clarke, I already have plans." He immediately wants to slap himself.  
"With who?"  
Um. "Lexa."  
"Oh. I didn't realize you guys were friends." Neither did he.  
"Yeah well, stranger things have happened I guess."  
"Ok, well, have fun." She sounds as deflated as he feels.  
"Thanks."  
"Bye."  
"Bye."  
She hangs up first, and he mimics stabbing himself in the stomach.  
"You're so stupid, how are you even still alive right now." He groans. 

 

Lexa opens her apartment door, only to immediately slam it again.  
"Lexa! Come on!" Bellamy pounds the door. She ignores him.  
"If you bust my door you'll be the one paying for a new one!" Her muffled shout comes from inside.  
"I'm not leaving until you let me in."  
"Then I hope you brought a sleeping bag." She snips.  
"What if I told you a brought you organic, fuck I don't even know how to pronounce that—"  
"You'd be a great sales person, Blake."  
More pounding. "Lexa!"  
He hears her groan and finally the door swings open, she's glaring.  
"I need your help." He says weakly.  
"I don't know if even I can fix what's wrong with you." She dodges his punch. 

"Why can't you just tell Clarke how you feel?" Lexa slurs. They had both had their fair share of wine.  
"Can we not talk about this? Again? It's done to death." He says, grazing on some popcorn. They were watching Americas Next Top Model and thoroughly judging every one who came on screen.  
"Oh my god, way too much make up. Is she walking the run way or under cover?" Lexa actually laughs, which is probably because of the alcohol.  
He takes it anyway.  
"Well I'm not going to stand back and watch you pine over her." She states.  
"Then don't." He replies.  
A pillow collides with his face.  
"I'm serious. Get a girlfriend and get over her or else I will actually chop your nuts off." She angrily bites a chip in half. He raises his eyebrows.  
"Wow, you really do hate nuts don't you? Typical lesbian."  
She growls and attempts to punch him, but really ends up flailing around. Drunk Lexa is very tiny, not that he'd ever tell her. She probably would chop his nuts off. 

 

They begin to spend more time together, they don't talk much and when they do it's mostly arguing.  
But they visit museums and flower shops together, and they usually get kicked out for laughing too loudly.  
"They don't know how to have fun, that's all." Lexa says the third time it happens. She grabs his arm as they cross the street.  
"You didn't know how to have fun before you met me." He points out. She smacks him.  
"I knew how, I just didn't think I wanted to." She admits.  
He gives her a look. "You have very twisted logic."  
She nods solemnly. "Thank you." 

It's 2am when Bellamy decides to stalk Clarke on Facebook. He doesn't really like Facebook, he feels very exposed to the world. And when he sees that Clarke is in a relationship, he knows that it was a bad idea to ever make an account in the first place. He's headed to Lexas apartment in under an hour. 

"Blake, you better have one hell of a reason to be knocking at my door right now—" She catches a glimpse at his face and her features morph into sympathy. "Do you want some beer?" She says, quiet.  
He nods. "Can we watch Marley and Me?" He requests, stepping inside.  
"Do you want to make me upset too?" She accuses, rummaging through her fridge.  
"Yes. And then we can mope together." He grabs the blankets off the couch and begins to make a nest on the floor, something that's become a habit whenever he visits.  
Lexa sits down with four beers, ice cream and his favourite nachos.  
"I didn't know you even owned junk food." He mutters, face already stuffed with cheese.  
"Someone has been a bad influence on me." She pokes him and opens her beer. They don't speak, watching the movie in silence.  
"Are we going to talk about why you're here? Or do you want to do the thing where you pretend you don't care?" She pops a nacho into her mouth and stretches out her legs.  
"I don't want to care about it." Bellamy mumbles, sinking into the pillows. She turns on her side to face him, face understanding.  
"But you do. And ignoring it isn't going to help, I thought you were a professor or something." She teases.  
He cracks a half smile.  
"I'm good with books and kids, not with feelings."  
Her face lights up for a moment, before she bounds off towards her room.  
"Good talk...?" He calls after her.  
"Shut up." She comes back, computer in hand and sits cross legged in front of him.  
"What are you—?"  
"Searching dating websites."  
"Feeling the sudden urge for a girlfriend?"  
"Not for me, idiot." She stuffs some popcorn in her face.  
"I don't want a girlfriend!" He protests, trying to snatch the computer away. But Lexa is like a cat, reflexes too fast for even him. She leaps onto the couch, far away from his grabby hands.  
"I'm not saying to get one. What I'm saying is you need a date."  
"I am perfectly fine picking up hook ups in bars, thank you." He crosses his arms, stubborn. She just rolls her eyes and continues to type away.  
"Lexa," He whines. She nudges him with her foot, as fond as she gets.  
"There. I have your profile set up." She turns the computer towards him and smiles, clearly proud of herself.  
He begins to read out loud. "Bellamy Blake. College professor and really good with the kids he works with. A tad dorky, but cute. Will treat you like the princess that you are. Written by his best friend." He looks up to see her biting her lip, nervous.  
"Too much?" She asks.  
"I just didn't know we were best friends, or that you thought I was cute." He grins and she shoves him.  
"Just because I'm not attracted to men doesn't mean I can't appreciate an attractive one. And I don't know how else to define you, we spend most of our time together." She closes her lap top and slides onto the floor again, falling asleep in minutes.  
He snuggles into the pillows as well, soft smile on his lips.  
"Yeah, you're my best friend too." 

"Bellamy. Bellamy. Bellamy." Lexa shakes his shoulders until his eyes droop open and he pushes her away.  
"What." He says flatly.  
"You already have three messages on the dating website."  
He sits up at that.  
"Really?" He pulls the computer into his lap and scrolls through the girls messages and pages.  
"I answered the hottest one, you have a date tomorrow night at eight." She clears the dishes off the carpet and pads into the kitchen.  
"And you didn't think to talk to me first?" He hurries after her, trying not to shake his fist.  
"Would you have answered any of them on your own?"  
"Probably not." He grits out.  
"Exactly. Just add it to the list of favors I've done for you."  
"Yeah, you're a real gem." He snorts. 

 

They decide to go to the bar to celebrate Bellamy getting under someone new.  
"To more sex!" Lexa says, clashing her shot glass against his own.  
"To more sex!" He repeats, then downs his shot. They laugh at the few strange looks they get.  
"Let's dance." Bellamy says. He grabs her hand and pulls her off the stool.  
"Oh I really shouldn't." She says, pulling against him.  
He quirks a brow. "Why not?"  
"I'm not a good dancer. In fact, I really can't dance at all."  
He rolls his eyes. "Everybody can dance!"  
She shakes her head. "Not me."  
"Loosen up. Come on, you're not competing for anything, just have fun."  
Lexa gives him a confused look. "I'm always competing for something. That's how I have fun."  
He rolls his eyes, laughing, and begins to shake his butt to the bass.  
"If that's dancing I don't know if I want any part in it." She says, stepping out of the way of some drunk girls. She bumps into a guy, he looks about seven feet tall and his hair definitely hasn't been brushed in a week.  
"Sorry." Lexa says, fumbling to get back to Bellamy.  
"Don't mind at all." The man says, he grabs her wrist and yanks her back against him. "In fact, why don't you stay a while."  
Bellamy's eyes harden and he stalks towards them. But Lexa turns towards the man, face cold as ice.  
"Get off me." Her voice is like steel.  
"I see you like playing hard to get." The man crows, fingers tightening on her wrist. Bellamy shoves his way in between them, and the guys vice like grip breaks.  
"She said get off." He spits, temper already flaring. Lexa places a hand on his shoulder.  
"I can handle this." She says.  
"But you shouldn't have to. When a girl says no, she means no. Got that meat head?" He can't resist but give the prick a shove. Hard. He stumbles into a stool, and when he stands he cracks his neck, intimidating. Bellamy goes to hit him once more, but Lexa steps between them.  
"Bellamy. He's not worth it, ok? Let's just go." She tries to guide him towards the door, and he doesn't break eye contact with the douche until they're outside. He flexes his fingers, willing his temper to cool down.  
"Since when do you back down from a fight?" He says, jaw still clenched.  
"You couldn't have taken him, Bellamy. He was fucking gigantic. But I appreciate you sticking up for me." She bumps her shoulder against his own and grins a little.  
"Dicks like that need to be put in their place." He growls.  
"It's not your job to do that, though." She protests. He looks at her, surprised.  
"You're my best friend, of course it's my job to protect you." He can't believe she would think anything different. She stares at the ground.  
"I've—I've—" She sighs. "—I've never had a best friend, before. I don't really know how they work." She fidgets with her fingers, avoiding his glance. He smiles, before throwing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.  
"Aw, Lex, I'm your first best friend. I feel honored." He squeezes her.  
"Don't make your head any bigger than it already is." Though she snuggles into his side as they walk.  
"I couldn't do that if I tried."  
"Amen to that!"  
He trips her. 

 

He's getting off the subway after his date, which was awful, when he sees them walking towards him.  
He recognizes meat head, he's brought friends this time. One has blonde curly hair and a mustache while the other has no hair at all.  
"Hey fellas! What are you guys—" meat head socks him in the jaw before he can finish and Bellamy stumbles back wards. Baldy grabs him by the shoulders and shoves him backwards into a car, who's alarm goes off. Mustache grabs Bellamy's arm while Baldy yanks the other, holding him still while meat head gives him a few blows to the stomach. When he finishes, meat head grabs Bellamy's throat, pining him against the car.  
"You wanna try to cock block me again?" His breath smells like old garbage and Bellamy resists the urge to gag. "I might think about it a little more before hand." He wheezes.  
Meat heads grip tightens. "You think you're funny? Huh?"  
"Um, no, not at all." Bellamy claws at his fingers that are cutting off his air supply.  
"Good." He bangs Bellamy's head against the roof of the car, and he falls to the ground.  
His eyes cross, and he's out. 

 

"Ow." Is the first thing he says when he wakes up in the hospital.  
"Bellamy? Oh finally! Finn! He's awake!" Clarke shouts before she takes his hand in her own.  
"Can we maybe not yell?" He winces as he tries to sit up, Clarke adjusts his pillows.  
"Sorry, yeah. I'll keep my voice down. Do you remember what happened?" She sits on his bed, absently stroking her thumb across his hand.  
"Some guys jumped me?" He says in a teasing time.  
"Bellamy."  
He groans, clearly she's not in the mood for jokes.  
"I was getting off the subway after my date, and—"  
"You had a date?" Clarke interrupts.  
"Yes. I did. Thanks for the boost of confidence. Anyway, I got off the subway, they came towards me and beat me to a pulp. That's basically it. I don't remember police finding me or anything." He rests his throbbing head against his pillow.  
"Police didn't find you." Clarke mumbles. His brow furrows.  
"Who did then?"  
"Lexa. She called me, blubbering, I could barely understand her. She said that you were in trouble and to call Finn. She probably saved your life."  
He has no control over the tears that well up in his eyes, imagining Lexa seeing him all broken and bloody. It made him want to sob.  
"Where is—" he starts.  
"She's getting coffee. She's been here all night, refused to leave your side. She'll be really happy that you're awake." Clarke squeezes his hand and slides off the bed, heading out the door.  
It then registers that she calls the doctor, Finn, by his first name. 

Lexa comes flying in a moment later, talking at least two miles per second, pacing at the end of his bed. "I can't believe this happened! And you didn't even fight back? How many guys were there? Did they use weapons? I honestly don't know how you're alive right now. And it was right after your date! What a let down! I bet the date was sucky anyway. I'm sorry I made you sign up. If it wasn't for that, we wouldn't have even met that guy and—"  
"Woah, woah, woah. Lexa. Don't even think about blaming yourself for this. If it wasn't for you, I might still be laying in that ally. You're the reason I'm alive, ok? The only person you should be blaming is the douches who threw the punches."  
She chews her finger nail, chest heaving a little.  
"I just—"  
"No. It was wasn't your fault." He says with finality.  
"I'm just sorry you got hurt." She grumbles. He half smiles.  
"Well you should be, I am your best friend after all." He gestures for her to come here and she sits on the bed. He rolls his eyes and pulls her hand until she's laying against him. She's very careful not to touch his stomach.  
"Is Finn Clarkes boyfriend?" He asks after a few minutes.  
Lexa sucks in a breath. "Yeah."  
"Is he good?" He asks quietly.  
"For her or in general?"  
He pauses, thinking. "Both."  
"In general, yes. For her ... I can think of someone who could be better." She sniffs.  
"Always got my back, huh?"  
"Always."

 

"Happy one year!" Bellamy says a month later, blowing glitter in Lexas face. She tries to scowl at him, but ends up laughing.  
"It hasn't been a year since Clarke's house." She says, flicking glitter off her shirt.  
"No, but it's been a year since we met in the hallway of that hotel." He says.  
Her eyebrows almost disappear into her hairline. "You remember the date? How is that possible, I thought you were a dude."  
He snorts. "I can't believe it's been a year since you told me I smelled like death." He sighs, fond.  
She smacks him. "I can't believe it's been a year since you told me to get over myself."  
"Not in so many words."  
"Specifics, specifics." She says, waving her hand in a dismissive way.  
He laughs, then asks her when she'll be heading to Atlanta to see her family for Christmas, which was in a few weeks.  
The smile fades from her face.  
"I don't see them for Christmas. Really, I don't see them at all." She turns away and begins to make some tea, her stress reliever.  
"I'm confused," he says, helping her with the tea. "You don't see your family? Ever? What about your little brother?" He hops up on her counter as the pot begins to boil.  
"It's not that I don't want to see them, Bellamy." Her voice is strained.  
"Why wouldn't they want to see you?" He asks, unbelieving what he's hearing.  
"Because the last time they saw me I had a girlfriend, and they shunned me." He can hear the tears in her words as she pours the tea into a cup.  
"Lexa." He says, sad.  
He doesn't move to hug her or comfort her, since she doesn't really do those things.  
In fact, she's the kind of person to fix the problem instead of moping about it. He jumps down from the counter and busied himself flipping through her phone book.  
"What are you—"  
"You're seeing your family, Lexa. They're not allowed to shun you for something that you can't change." He lets out a sound of delight when he finds her parents phone number.  
"I can't just—" Lexa starts.  
"You can and you will." He finishes.  
"But what if—"  
"I'll be there the whole time."  
"Ok, and then what happens when—"  
"Lexa! We're doing it! Stop arguing!"  
"Since when are you the boss of me." She crosses her arms, nostrils flaring.  
He sighs, and steps up to her.  
"Best friends. They push you do to things that you don't want to do."  
She squints. "A best friend should respect the other best friends wishes. And mine are not to see my family. Ever."  
When did she become so dramatic?  
He groans. "Lexa. You love your family, don't you miss Aden?"  
She scowls, knowing that he knows he's right.  
"You know what?" Bellamy places his hands on her forearms. She looks up at him, begrudgingly. "You sleep on it, and if you're still so against it by tomorrow, we won't go. Ok?"  
She nods and he flicks her nose.  
Which ends in a physical brawl.  
She wins. 

 

He wakes up to someone jumping on his bed. He squints open one eye to see Lexa, looking much too awake.  
"I have a fantastic idea." She says.  
"Oh, joy." He sits up and rubs his face. The sun wasn't even bloody up yet, for christ sake.  
"You were right—" he perks up at that. "—I do need to see my family. But—not as a lesbian."  
He flops back onto his pillows and throws an arm over his face.  
"It's way too early in the morning for me to help with changing your sexuality." She smacks him.  
"I'm still gonna be a lesbian, that I can't change, but you'll just act as if you're my boyfriend. Genius!"  
He uncovers his face slightly. "Yeah. It's definitely way too early for this."

But her mind is set, and as much as he hates the idea, at least she's seeing her family. And that's all he really wanted. So they practice, some more touching, some hand holding, nice gazes.  
"Will we have to, um, kiss?" He says during a cuddling session, coughing slightly.  
"Well I don't want to." She makes a face and he laughs.  
"Glad we're agreed." He pinches her, and she punches him. Which turns into a tickling fight, obviously. 

"My parents are ... picky." Lexa says on their way to the airport. He gives her a side glance and she sighs.  
"What I mean is, don't be offended or anything ok? They'll probably just try to make you feel small and powerless, like I used to do. They'll want to make sure that you're right for me for whatever." She huffs, clearly annoyed that she even has to explain this.  
He waits for her to catch his eye for him to smirk, then he says, "Let them try."  
They watch a movie on the plane, coincidentally about fake dating. Lexa continues to insist on watching something different, while Bellamy repeatedly gives the characters tips on how not to fall in love.  
"Rule number one, always fake date a lesbian." He waggles a finger at them.  
Lexa requests to change seats. 

"Fuck! Let's not do this. They probably haven't seen us yet, we can leave and say we caught a bug. Come on! We are wasting time!" Lexa wriggles in her seat, as if jerking against her seat belt will help move the car. Bellamy roles his eyes.  
"We are not leaving." He takes the keys out of the ignition and she whimpers. He jingles them in her face then steps out of the car, walking around to her side.  
He opens the door and she crosses her arms. "Did you break your legs?" He asks when she doesn't move.  
"Is that a good enough excuse for you not to make me go?" She mutters even as she accepts his hand to help her step out.  
"I'd just throw you over my shoulder, girlfriend." He stretches the last word out like taffy, taunting her.  
"I had a feeling." She elbows him.  
Lexas parents have a large house, with three stories and almost too many balconies to count, he can feel his irritation rise.  
His family never had extra money, it was spent on his mothers hospital bills and whatever boyfriend she had at the time. Money was always tight, he never had the luxury of being able to move away and know that his sister was going to be looked after.  
Then again, he was never shunned either.  
"Fuck. Should we hold hands?" She asks as they walk up the stairs, looking at him with wild eyes.  
"Fuck. I don't know. Should we stop swearing?" His voice is just as desperate.  
"Probably."  
"Ok."  
He takes her hand and squeezes, not quite knowing which one of them he's trying to reassure. 

The first few hours go pretty smooth, Lexas parents are intense, but nothing he can't shake off. Lexa is uptight, intent on impressing them with how well she's done for herself.  
"What is your job, Bellamy?" Lexas mother, Farah, says.  
"I teach." He answers, spooning some soup into his mouth, reminding himself not to slurp.  
"Isn't that a job that pays poorly?"  
Derek says. Lexa hisses at her father, who simply shrugs. Before Bellamy can at least somewhat defend himself, Aden speaks up.  
"I think teachers are great, there are so many nasty ones who don't do their job well. I think you'd be a good one."  
Bellamy is taken back, but he sees the faint proud smile on Lexas face.  
He smiles as well. "Thanks, Aden."

Dinner continues with very little conversation, the irritation radiating off Farah and Derek is obvious.  
But Aden either doesn't notice or doesn't care because he carries on with no care in the world.  
He wishes Bellamy a goodnight after a lengthy hug to his sister and he skips off to his room.  
Farah said it's perfectly ok if they shared a room, which they weren't really planning on.  
"I'll take the floor." He says, throwing a few pillows on to it already.  
"And why would you do that?" Lexa scoops the pillows off the floor and plopping them on the bed again.  
"Well because—"  
"Whatever your excuse is, I'm vetoing it. We've slept in the same bed before, it's not like it's any different now." She then orders him into bed and says goodnight.  
She's snoring in seconds. 

They're relaxing in front of the pool while Aden swims.  
"We should tell them." Bellamy says.  
Lexa nearly chokes on her lemonade.  
"No, no no. We can't."  
"Why not?" He demands.  
"Because! Because one, we've already kept it a secret this long, why upset them now?"  
"It's your life, Lexa."  
"Don't look at me with those puppy eyes, Blake—"  
Bellamy sputters. "Blake? Really?"  
She ignores him. "If it's my life, I should choose whether I tell them or not. And I choose not."  
He narrows his eyes. "It doesn't matter how it affects me." An accusation and a question.  
She glares. "You're here of your own free will, use that freedom to leave. If you're unhappy? Then go." She slams her sunglasses back over her eyes and nestles back into her chair, content on ignoring him. His nostrils flare and he huffs as he heads back to the house, content on not speaking to her for the rest of the afternoon.  
At dinner that night, Farah seems much more chipper then her usual annoyed and blank face.  
"So, is there something you have to tell us?" She says, glancing between Lexa and Bellamy.  
Lexa also glances at him, the first look they've shared since the pool, he shrugs. "No?" She says, turning back to her mother.  
"Come on! I heard you two by the pool." Farah pushes.  
Bellamys heart nearly stops.  
Lexa seems quick to divert her mother away from the topic.  
"Mom—"  
"You're pregnant!"  
Farah claps giddily as Derek basically spits out his salad. "You're what?"  
"I'm gonna be an uncle?"  
"Honey, I don't think—"  
"Everyone stop talking!" Lexa shouts, slamming her palms down onto the table. Bellamy resists the urge to jump.  
Farahs face turns soft. "I know you didn't want us to know but—"  
Lexa glares. "I am not pregnant."  
Confusion flickers over the Woods' faces.  
"Pregnancy out of wedlock is nothing to be ashamed of, darling." Farah says, reaching for her daughters hand.  
Lexa recoils and stands up so quickly her chair tips back. "Bellamy and I haven't even slept together! You know why? Because I'm a lesbian."  
Dishes clang as cutlery is dropped and jaws are snapped open and shut.  
Lexa puts her hands on her hips. "I'm a filthy, girl loving and girl kissing, lesbian. And you can shun me or beat me or make me beg for forgiveness from God but nothing is going to change that." Her expressions softens as she turns to Bellamy, who has a very proud look shaping his features. She lets her arms hang limp at her side as she says, "I'm sorry I made you pretend. And I'm sorry I made you come here, you've been more than a best friend and you've done more than I should've or could've asked for." He reaches up and squeezes her hand.  
She turns back to her parents, expression hardening once again.  
"I frankly don't care if you don't want me in your life, because I don't want you in mine, and it is my life. I'm free to do whatever I want with it." She cuts a glance to Bellamy, who smiles proudly. She drops her napkin onto her plate and walks away, leaving the chair on the floor. Bellamy stands as well, but he look at Farah and Derek again before leaving.  
"You have a terrific daughter, and you're going to give her up because you can't accept that she's different? What you've done is unforgivable, but you should be doing everything in your power to at least try and earn forgiveness. You owe her that." He gives one last firm glance, before hurrying up the stairs after Lexa. 

She's pacing, and mumbling to herself. She looks up as he closes the door behind him.  
"Too much?" She says, nearly bashful. His smile widens and he scoops her up in a bone crushing hug, she squeals.  
"I'm so fucking proud of you." He says, setting her back down.  
"You were right, they don't deserve to shun me for something I can't change."  
He rolls his eyes, jokingly. "I've been trying to tell you—"  
"Shut up!" She smacks him, like always. 

They arrive home before Christmas Day and just spend it in their underwear and eating take out.  
Lexa gives him a new television.  
"Because you constantly steal mine." She shoves him and demands her own present. He hands her a small box. She rips it open and finds a bracelets nestled inside.  
With a pride flag charm.  
"Bellamy, I love it. Thank you."  
He ducks his head and smiles. 

He calls Clarke a few hours later, she was spending Christmas with Finn, a fact he was trying to push from his mind. She picks up on the second ring.  
"Bellamy! Hey."  
He smiles. She always sounds so happy over the phone. "Hey Clarke."  
"How's your Christmas been?"  
"Fantastic. Take out is my favourite."  
She laughs, just like he hoped she would.  
"What about you? How is Finn?"  
"He's fine. Actually, we're going ice skating right now so, I gotta go. Do you wanna meet for coffee sometime?" The hope in her voice almost makes his eyes water, he had been neglecting their friendship.  
"I'd love to. Have a good time."  
He hangs up and turns to find Lexa frowning at him.  
"What?"  
She rolls her eyes. "You're still stupidly in love with her, you idiot."  
"That was barely a conversation! How would you even know that?" He sputters.  
"You had that stupid love sick smile on your face the entire time, even when you asked about her boyfriend." She turns up her nose, as if even the sound of feelings disturbs her. He pinches her arm as he passes.  
"Is it wrong for me to be happy while talking to my friend?"  
"It's wrong when you're trying to hide your feelings." She crosses her arms.  
"I'm not hiding anything—" he starts.  
"Yes, you are. You're too scared of rejection to try, though." Her words cut clean across his, making his blood boil.  
"She has a boyfriend! Even if I did have feelings—"  
"Which you do."  
"—I wouldn't be able to act on them. She's happy, and that's all that matters." He flops onto the couch, frowning.  
"Bellamy, you realize you're the person that makes her the happiest." She curls up in her chair, sympathy crossing her face.  
"I'd probably just mess it up." He mutters, fidgeting with his fingers.  
"You wouldn't."  
"But I would. I'd do something, and she'd realize—" he cuts himself off, not wanting to say what he's thinking.  
"What? That you're not worth it? You're too much work? Bellamy—"  
"Just stop!" He nearly shouts. "Stop making me feel better and stop telling me what I should do with my life, ok? I'm done. I don't want to talk about it anymore."  
Minutes go by, Lexa doesn't speak. He avoids her fire like gaze as she packs up a few of her things. She pauses for a moment when she reaches the door.  
"Next time I try to help, I'll keep my mouth shut. Because clearly we haven't come as far as I though we had." The hard steel in her voice makes his hands tremble. He clenches his jaw as she slams the door so hard his whole apartment shakes. 

 

He calls her everyday for weeks, and everyday she doesn't answer. He leaves a voicemail apologizing every time. He wonders if she even listens to it before she deletes them. He arranges the coffee date—no, hang out, it's not a date—with Clarke. They meet at her favourite cafe two blocks from his apartment.  
She hugs him as soon as she sees him, and he resists lifting her off the ground and spinning her.  
"I've missed you." She says against his neck. A shudder slips down his spine.  
"I've missed you, too." He pulls out her chair and then takes his own seat across from her.  
Her hair is looped up into a bun, squished on top of her head with tendrils hanging down around her face. She's wearing a plain white t-shirt and jean shorts, paint decorates her palms and cheeks.  
"Were you in your studio today?" He asks, sipping his coffee. Black, no sugar. She flushes as she notices the blotches covering her skin.  
"Yeah. I'm working on a piece for the museum down the street."  
"That's awesome! Isn't that what you've always wanted to do?" He leans across the table, the short distance suddenly too far.  
"It's, uh, it's great. It's good pay and my boss is good. He's really understanding with school and everything too." Her phone dings and she smiles as she glances at the text message. He digs his fingernails into his palms, jealousy already flaring.  
"Is that Finn?" He surprises himself with how steady his voice sounds.  
Clarkes smile fades. "Um, I actually broke up with Finn."  
He's not proud of the happy swoop his heart does. "Clarke, that's awful."  
She immediately shakes her head. "No, it wasn't. Not long after we broke up, I found out he was cheating on me. Or, I was helping him cheat? He already had a girlfriend while he was dating me. I had no idea. That was her, Raven, we've bonded over our mutual distain for him." She laughs and he grins. Despite wanting to grind Finns bones to dust.  
"I'm glad you're happy." He murmurs.  
She smiles, shy. "I didn't tell you why I broke up with Finn."  
"Because he was a dick, clearly." Bellamy guffaws. She laughs again.  
"That was part of it. I, fuck, he wasn't what I wanted. I was trying to replace someone with him, and it worked for a while. But I felt awful using him."  
He furrows his brow. "I don't understand,"  
Clarke sighs. "I was trying to replace you, Bellamy."  
He must look like an idiot, mouth gaping, ear tips flaming red.  
"Clarke, I—"  
Then his phone rings and he apologizes as he checks the caller ID. Lexas face flashes at him.  
"I'm sorry, I'll be right back." He gets up from the table with very little grace and stumbles outside.  
"Lexa, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel—"  
"It's ok. I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have been so controlling, or dramatic. I've felt like absolute shit these past few weeks." The words rush out of her, as if she's been waiting to say them for a while. He smiles.  
"Me too. Let's never fight again, ok?"  
"Ok. What are you doing now?"  
His eyes widen as he remembers Clarke, and her confession.  
"Fuck, Lexa I've gotta go. Talk later?"  
"Alright bye—" He hangs up and cuts her off, hurrying back into the cafe.  
Clarke isn't there.  
"Fuck."

He winds up at her door an hour later, panting from the long walk. He knocks on the door and waits, thoughts swirling around in his mind.  
Clarke likes him, and not just as he thought she did, she likes him the way he likes her. His his heart throws itself against his ribcage, knocking the breath out of him in excitement.  
The door squeaks open and Niylah peers through the crack. She rolls her eyes when she sees its him.  
"She's in her room." Is all she says. 

Bellamy nudges open the bedroom door with his foot, peering inside.  
Clarke is sketching on her bed, she's so engrossed in her work that she jumps when he comes up beside her.  
"Hey, didn't mean to scare you." He murmurs, touching her shoulder. He gets a glimpse of black curls dancing on the page before she closes the book and turns to look at him.  
He takes his hand back when he sees the fury hidden behind her blue eyes.  
"Clarke—"  
"You don't have to apologize." She slips off the bed and places her notebook on her dresser, among her other sketch pads and pencil crayons. He watches her, curious.  
"Why do you think I'm apologizing?" He says, taking a step closer.  
"Because you feel uncomfortable." She supplies, walking towards the door. She opens it, but his long strides are faster and he pushes it closed. He leaves his hand above her head, caging her in.  
She doesn't face him.  
"Uncomfortable with what?"  
"My feelings for you. You love someone else and—"  
"Wrong, terribly wrong." He leans his head close, breath fanning her neck.  
"What is it then? Why did you just leave?" She sounds hurt, and he feels horrible for being the one to make it that way.  
"I got in a fight, with Lexa, and we haven't spoken in weeks. I didn't want her to think I was still mad." He pauses. "Do you know what we fought about?" He leans closer still.  
"No."  
He breathes in deep, gathering the courage to tell her. "My feelings for you. And the fact that I was letting you slip through my fingers every minute that I wasted not telling you how I felt."  
Slowly, ever so slowly, he rests his hand on her hip, turning her to face him. She stares at his collar bone instead of his eyes, and he stoops down so they're eye level.  
"I should be apologizing, but not for not loving you, I should apologize for keeping that fact that I do a secret for so long." He rasps.  
She raises her eyes to his, and steps closer so their bodies are pressed together. She snakes her arms around his neck and plays with the ringlets of hair hanging there.  
A pause. "You love me?"  
"Devastatingly so."  
She lets out a choked laugh, then stands on the tips of her toes to touch their lips together. It's slow and sweet, and he smiles in the middle of it, causing her to laugh again.  
"I love you, too." She says, her eyes closed, forehead resting against his.  
"Say it again." He demands, hoisting her into his arms and dropping her onto the bed.  
"I love you." She drawls.  
He smiles softly as he looks at her, splayed out before him.  
"I can't believe you tried to replace me." He says, half joking. He lowers himself onto her, loving the feel of her beneath him.  
Her smile dims. "Stupidest thing I've ever done." She surges up to kiss him. He doesn't complain. 

 

"Do you have to go?" Clarke whines, hugging him from behind in the bathroom. He had spent the weekend there, but he knew monday would come at some point.  
Stupid time, always moving forward.  
"Some of us have to be up before ten, princess." He turns and kisses her forehead before straightening his tie. She grabs onto it and pulls him down for a kiss.  
"Clarke." He mumbles against her lips, she whines again but pulls back.  
"I love you." She runs a hand through his hair, a quickly forming habit.  
"I love you, too." He pecks her lips once more before ordering her back to bed and stepping out her bedroom door. Niylah tsks at him before closing her door, as if he couldn't hear her through the paper thin walls.  
He opens the from door and almost runs straight into Lexa, who hadn't had time to knock yet.  
She takes in his mussed up hair and smirks. "We have got to stop meeting like this."  
He blushes. "Some things never change."  
She rolls her eyes and pushes past him. "Unfortunately."


End file.
